Mumbai: Andheri resident loses Rs 92k to ‘friend’ who needed money for hospital bills

The accused tricked Gohli into believing that her friend’s father was admitted to a hospital and she required financial assistance to pay the bills.

Gohli first transferred Rs 25,000 and then Rs 67,000, amounting to a total of Rs 92,000, the police said. (file)

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Cybercriminals duped a Mumbai woman of Rs 92,000 recently by claiming to be her friend. Mamta Gohli, 57, a resident of Andheri (East), allegedly received a message from a person claiming to be her friend Hema Mangrola.

The accused tricked Gohli into believing that her friend’s father was admitted to a hospital and she required financial assistance to pay the bills. The fraudster then shared the details of a Punjab National Bank account. Thereafter, Gohli first transferred Rs 25,000 and then Rs 67,000, amounting to a total of Rs 92,000, the police said.

The victim later called her friend Mangrola to check on her and to enquire about her father. Mangrola informed her that nothing had happened to them. This was when Gohli realised that she had been duped by cybercriminals.

The incident took place on February 15 and since the victim was busy with work, she was unable to file an FIR immediately. On February 18, the Andheri police station registered an offence under Sections 419 (cheating by personation), and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code, and Sections 66C (identity theft) and 66D (cheating by personation by using computer resource) of the Information and Technology Act.

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